Coin-detector.



J. E. COLEMAN..

COiN DETECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8. |915.

Patented Feb. 22 2916.

ZSHEETs-SHEL 1.

DIRECTIONS ATTY THB COLUMEHA PLANOGRAFH Co., WASHlNamN, D. c.

J. E. CULEMAN.

COIN DETECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1915.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2l JAMES E. COLEMAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COIN-DETECTOR.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application filed September 8, 1915. Serial No. 49,439.

, To jaZZwwm t may concern.'

Be itknown that 1, JAMES E. COLEMAN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at San F rancisco,-in the county of San Francisco4 and State of California, have invented newand useful Improvements in Coin-Detectors, of which the V.following is a speci fication.

The object of the present invention is to provide a receiver' for coins which will retain therein coins of the proper size` and weight but will automatically discharge or refuse Coins of improper size or weight.

inthe accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front View ofthe machine; Fig. 2 isla broken horizontal section thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 6; Fig. 3 is aV detail view of a rock shaft and parts immediately connected therewith; Fig. 4 isa detail rearview of a rocking arm; Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view of a mercury trough; Fig. 6 is a rear view of the machine, the rear plates being removed and certain parts being broken away; Fig. 7` is a vertical section of the apparatus on the-line 7 7 of Fig. 6;

. Fig..8 is a horizontal section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a detail vertical section of a chute; Fig. 10 is a cross section of the sameon the line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

vReferring to `the drawing, 1 indicates a casing, ,inthe upperend of which isi'ormed a small guidewayV 2,` in which a nickel or other coin may be deposited. Said Vguideway communicates at the Vbottom with a curved coin chute 3, in the bottom of which is a longitudinally extending slot 4, of such width that a coin of the proper width can slide on the bottom of the coin chute without falling through. If a coin of suliiciently` less width is dropped into the top of 4the chute, it slides along the chute until it reaches .the slot land then falls therethrough and upon the bottom of another chute 6, by which it is discharged sidewise out of the casing. Below said slot 4 at one side is a l spring 7,01l which the lower end is fixed and the upper portion is transversely movable andis contained in a recess in the metal forming the chute. This spring has a narrow rib orshaft 8 at the same level with Athe bottom of the chute on the other side of the slot, (Figs. 2, 9, 10).

-rod121 rests upon a crank 13, secured to a extending through said hollow bearing 17 to` the outer side 0i the casing, and having on said outer sidea rocking arm 18, by which the shaft 16 and cylinder 14 can be rocked. The other end of the cylinder 14 is connected with one end of a shaft` 15, an arm 2O of which (Fig. 6) is pivoted to a piston rod in a pivoted dash-pot 25, operating in a manner well known to the art. The rod 12v is held in contact with the crank arm 13 by means of a stretched coiled spring 19. An upper portion of the rod 12 passes through a `guide 21 (Figs. 2, 6) secured upon the casing, so that said rod always moves in a straight line, and the upper end of the rod, extending through the hole l1 in the plate 9, is tapered. By the motion of said rocking arm 18 the rod 12 is caused to rise, and thereby, on account of the tapering form otits upperpend extending through said hole 11, the spring 7 is drawn` transversely or outwardly,vthus releasing any coin that may have stuck between the spring `on one side and the side of the chute on the other side, on account of being too narrow to slide over the opening and too wide to pass entirely through. Thus all coins which are too wide Vdo not enter the guideway 2, all coins which are much too narrow drop at once on to the chute 6, all coins which are only slightly too narrow drop into said chute 6 when the. arm 18 is rocked, and all coins which are of exactly the proper width slide over the slot 4.

A coin which is not too narrow and which slides over the slot 4 and along the bottom of the chute, drops from the lower end thereof into a trough 22 containing mercury (Figs. 5, 7). Said trough is supported by its bottom being extended forwardly, as shown at 23, and at the front end bent downwardly at right angles, as shown at 24, and secured to the rear side oi the front wall of the casing. When the coin, shown at 7 O, drops into the mercury in the trough, it remains in a vertical positiorn.

being upheld on one side by a vertical stud 28, and on the other side by vertical studs 29, the stud 28 extending upwardly from the central portion of a yoke 31, floating in the mercury in the trough, and the side members 32 of which are connected at their front ends to a plate 33, (Figs. 4, 7, 8) which is adapted to be engaged by the upper end of arms 34, pivoted at their lower ends upon a shaft 36, supported by the extension 24, (Fig. 7), said arms 34 being connected to one another by means of a brace 27, (Fig. 4) to which is attached one end of a spring 38 (Fig. 7) the other end of which is attached to the mercury trough.

A pin 39 can slide in a diametral hole through the cylinder 14, (Figs. 3, 6, 7) and a nut 41 is screwed on its threaded lower end. Around said pin 39 is a coiled spring 42 compressed between the cylinder and the head of the pin, and which normally projects said head upwardly. When the cyl inder 14 is rocked by the rocking of the arm 18, the head of the pin 39 is caused to abut against one of the arms 34, and forces said arms to the front, thereby also forcing to the front the plate 33, and the stud 28 which extends upwardly from the yoke 31.

The two studs 29 extend upwardly from the rear side of a triangular support 44, (Fig. 8), at the ends of which side are pins 40, which can slide in guideways 30 (Fig. 7) in the upwardly and forwardly extended sides of the mercury trough. The other corner of said support 44 is pivoted, as shown at 46, (Figs. 6, 7, 8) to the upper end of a rocking arm 47, centrally located between the arms 34, (Figs. 4, 7) and pivotally mounted upon the same shaft 36. Said arms 34 and 47 move in slots in the extension 23 (Fig. 8). The support 44 has, at its sides. bearings 26 through which can slide the sides of the yoke 31, (Figs. 5, 8) and stretched coiled springs 35 are attached each at one end -to the plate 33 and at the other end to one of two sleeves 49 secured to the respective arms of the yoke 31, thus v tending to pull the yoke 31 backward and separate the stud 28 from the studs 29. This backward movement of the yoke 31 is limited by the engagement of said sleeves 49 with the bearings 26. The rocking arm 47 has, below its pivot, a rearward extension 51, to the outer end of which is attached one end of a stretched coiled spring 52, the other end of which is attached to the front wall of the casing.

When a coin 53 has dropped into the mercury trough it is maintained in an erect position by means of the clamping devices or studs 28 and 29, as before described, and at a level which is dependent upon the specific gravity of the metal of which the coin is made. Therefore when the stud 28 'is forced forwardly, by reason of the pin 39 forced forwardly, by the pressure of said coin interposed between the stud 28 and studs 29.

As the plate 33 moves forwardly due to the motion of the rock shaft 16, it strikes fixed posts 54 (Figs. 7, 8) which arrest its movement, and that of the yoke 31 attached thereto and of the stud 28 extending upwardly from said yoke. 1f the pin 39 were fxedly secured to the cylinder 14, it would then be impossible to turn the rock shaft 16 any farther. But sincethe pin 39 is slid# able through the cylinder 14, it is then pos sible to turn the rock shaft 16 by further compressing said coiled spring 42 compressed around the pin 39. Since the rock shaft 16 can turn still farther, a pin 56, (Figs. 6,V 7) xedly extending from the cylinder 14, can engage the arm 47, and can move said arm forwardly, carrying with it the triangular support 44 and the studs 29 supported thereby. Thereby the studs 29 are separated from the stud 28 and the coin drops by a chute 55 into the receptacle below it. This receptacle, if necessary, may be provided with a signaling device, as a bell 71, which is struck by a coin falling from the chute 55, giving a signal to the central operator or other person in charge of the machine. Y

A slug or other device of lighter material dropped into the chute, instead of the proper coin, although of the same size and shape, floats at a higher level in the mercury, and is therefore grasped by' the studs 28 and 29 at a higher level, and, when moving forwardly, its upper edge strikes a plate 57 secured to a yoke 58, pivoted on the sides of the mercury trough, and thereby causes said plate 57 to press against the lower depending arm of a wire lever 59 secured to a rock shaft 61 pivoted upon the extended sides of the mercury trough, the other arm of which lever 59 carries a. counter-balance weight 62. Extending rearwardly from said shaft 61 are arms 63, to the ends of which are secured convex plates 64, so that, if the slug'or improper coin,

which is at the higher level than the proper coin, should strike the plate 57, said plates 64 would be lowered, and would therefore be in a position to arrest rods 66, extending upwardly from the corners of the yoke 31 carrying the stud 28, and thus to arrest said yoke and stud, while, the rock shaft 16 still turning, the pin 56 would cause the arm 47 to turn, and move forwardly the studs 29, in consequence of which the coin between said stud 28 and studs 29 would at once drop, being received in a chute 67 and discharged outside the casing.

Suppose that a slug of metal, such as lead, heavier than the proper coin, or which is heavier than mercury, is deposited, then the lower portion of the slug will, in the forso V Ward movement of said slug with the studs, strike against an end of a lever 68, pivoted at 69 upon a side of the mercury trough, and which extends in one direction from said pivot 69, first downwardly, then rearwardly, then sidewise, and then upward, through a recess in the rear edge of the front side of the mercury trough, and also eX- tends in the opposite direction from said pivot first upwardly, and then sidewise, forming a support for the counter-balanceweight-carrying lever 59, heretofore described. When said slug or other device of material heavier than the proper metal strikes the upwardly projecting end of said lever 68, it rocks said lever, and thereby rocks the shaft 6l, and thereby, in the manner before explained, causes the plates 64: to be lowered to arrest the movement of the stud 28, so that said coin also drops into the chute 67 and is discharged outside the casing.

I claim l. In a coin detector, a trough for containing mercury, means for guiding a coin into said trough, supporting means in said trough into operative relation with which said coin is guided, means for separating said supporting means and coin from the trough, and means for separating said supporting means and coin at different points dependent upon the level at which the coin is held by the supporting means.

2. In a coin detector, a trough for containing mercury, means for ,guiding a coin into said trough, carrying means in said trough into operative relation with which said coin is guided, means for transferring said carrying means and coin out of said trough, and means for separating said carrying means and coin at dierent points in their transference dependent upon the level at which the coin is held by the carrying means.

8. In a coin detector, a trough for containing mercury, means for guiding a coin in a vertical position into said trough, clamping devices in said trough into the space between which said coin is guided, means for transferring said clamping devices and coin out of said trough, and means for releasing said coin from said clamping devices at different points in their transference dependent upon the level at which the coin is held by the clamping devices.

4. In a coin detector, a trough for con'- taining mercury, means for guiding a coin in va vertical position into said trough, clamping devices in said ytrough into the space between which said coin is guided, means for transferring said clamping devices and coin out of said trough, means for releasing said coin from said clamping devices at one point in their transference if the coin is clamped at a given level, and at another point if clamped above or below said level.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES E. COLEMAN. Witnesses:

F. M. WRIGHT, D. B. RICHARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). C. 

